Duties

Summary

This position is a GS-0962-5/6 with a full performance level of GS-7 and is part of Retirement Services, Office of Personnel Management. If selected, you will be responsible for providing information and assistance to meet the needs of our customers including retirees, their survivors and representatives, and others who have an interest in the retirement and insurance benefit programs.
Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

• Use retirement systems technology to answer and resolve customer inquiries received as written and/or electronic correspondence.
• Administer requested adjustments to annuitant records and benefits affecting payments and entitlements as well as items such as address and bank account changes, marital status and name changes, and tax withholding.
• Compute standard payment plans and/or authorizing special payment plans to assist customers in repaying debts due the Government.
• Use automated or other systems, track cases and workloads assigned to the staff, monitoring location, current case status and assignment.
• Respond to requests for general information about retirement and insurance benefits and expedites payments of survivor to include widows, children, and other beneficiaries as appropriate.

Travel Required

Not required

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
7

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service
• Suitable for Federal employment, determined by a background investigation
• May be required to successfully complete a probationary period
• Complete the initial online assessment and USAHire Assessment, if required
• The incumbent will be required to perform on occasion the following: walking, standing and kneeling, lifting, carrying, pushing/moving carts and storing case files that may be on occasion heavy.

Qualifications

For the GS-05: Have at least one year of specialized experience which is equivalent in difficulty and complexity to the GS-4 level in the Federal service that includes work involved in explaining or answering questions about programs or products; assisting customers in completing forms or applications; reviewing forms and/or claims for completeness, accuracy, and compliance with regulations, knowledge of Microsoft Office programs and retrieving and scanning of documents;
OR
Successfully completed four years of post high school education;
OR
Have a combination of the experience described above and college education described above, which when combined are equivalent to 100% of the qualifications requirement.

For the GS-6: You must have at least one year of specialized experience which is equivalent in difficulty and complexity to the GS-5 level in the Federal service that includes using automated systems to assist customers with questions regarding programs, products, or claims or services; reviewing forms and applications to identify omissions or discrepancies; knowledge of Microsoft Office programs; and providing clerical or technical support in a medium size agency assisting customer with questions regarding benefits, loans, human resources, finance, accounting, payroll etc.

You must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Education

You MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims. Unless otherwise stated: (1) official or unofficial transcripts are acceptable, or (2) you may submit a list with all of your courses, grades, semester, year, and credit for the course. All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement.

PASS/FAIL COURSES: If more than 10 percent of your undergraduate course work (credit hours) was taken on a pass/fail basis, your claim of superior academic achievement must be based upon class standing or membership in an honor society.

GRADUATE EDUCATION: One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours that your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

Additional information

Relocation expenses will not be paid.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional similar vacancies across OPM.

If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document that you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application: https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Alternate_Application_Information

If you are a veteran and you are claiming 5-point veterans' preference, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 or other proof of eligibility.
If you are a veteran and you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference, you must also submit an SF-15, "Application for 10-Point Veterans' Preference" plus the proof required by that form. For more information on veterans' preference click here .

Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see https://www.sss.gov/Home/Registration ).

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

For Category Rating: Once the application process is complete, a review of your resume and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the assessment questionnaire to determine if you are qualified for this job. If, after reviewing your resume and or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your eligibility. Qualified candidates will be assigned to one of the three quality categories: Qualified, Well Qualified, or Best Qualified. Qualified Category = Does not exceed the basic qualifications requirements described in the "Qualifications" section of this announcement. Well Qualified Category = Meets the basic qualifications requirements described in the "Qualifications" section of this announcement and demonstrates proficiency in the Critical Competencies defined below. (This category must be met to be considered under ICTAP procedures) Best Qualified Category = Meets the basic qualifications requirements described in the "Qualifications" section of this announcement and excels in the Critical Competencies defined below. The category assignment is a measure of the degree in which your background matches the competencies required for this position.

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics):

• Accountability
• Attention to Detail
• Customer Service
• Flexibility
• Integrity/Honesty
• Interpersonal Skills
• Learning
• Office Automation
• Oral Communication
• Self-Management
• Stress Tolerance
• Teamwork
• Technical Competence

The Category Rating Process does not add veterans' preference points or apply the "rule of three," but protects the rights of veterans by placing them ahead of non-preference eligible within each category. Preference eligibles who meet the minimum qualification requirements and have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent or higher will be listed in the highest quality category (except in the case of scientific or professional positions at the GS-09 level or higher).

Career Transition Assistance Programs: These programs apply to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: 1) meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; 2) be rated well-qualified for the position with a score of 80 or above based on the competencies listed above; and 3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility. For more information visit: http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp .

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Not Required

Drug test required
No

Position sensitivity and risk
Moderate Risk (MR)

Trust determination process
Suitability/Fitness

Required Documents

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

Your Resume showing work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment and duties performed.

Other supporting documents:

• Cover Letter, optional
• College Transcript(s), if qualifying based on education
• Veterans' Preference documentation, if applicable (e.g. DD-214 Member Copy 4 showing type of discharge/character of service; Current Active Duty members must submit a certification of expected discharge or release from active duty under honorable conditions dated within 120 days; SF-15 Form and related documentation; VA letter.)
• Career Transition Assistance Program/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program documentation, if applicable (e.g. Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal; SF-50 that documents the RIF separation action; and most recent performance appraisal.)
• Worker's Compensation Separation: Agency certification of inability to place employee AND Notification of Separation OR Separation SF-50.
• Disability Annuity Termination: Notification from OPM of disability annuity termination AND Separation SF-50 of the last position held.
• Military Reserve or National Guard Technician Special Disability Retirement Annuity under 5 U.S.C. 8337(h) or 8456: Certification of special disability retirement annuity from a military department or National Guard Bureau AND Separation SF-50 of the last position held

Failure to submit any of the above mentioned required documents may result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted.